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How People On Earth Tick Part II: Does The Right Or Left Brain Hemisphere Dominate?

Men and women are different. The results of a recent study illustrate this point yet again. More than 35 million people from 205 countries were invited to put their brains to the test. The purpose? To gain insight into whether our planet is dominated by left-brained or right-brained thinkers.

Right or left brain hemisphere? Emotion or reason? The study, carried out by the German creative agency Sommer+Sommer, confirmed what founders Leonard and Gordon Sommer had already suspected. Their brain test project showed: 41% of earch-dwellers are left-brained, while only 27% are right-brained. In 32% of participants, the two hemispheres exert equal influence on thinking. (Source: Sommer+Sommer, n=35.345.657 people from 205 countries.)

Who is dominated by only one brain hemisphere?And who manages to bridge the gap between left and right?

Although both sexes were weighted equally within the study, the results could not have been more different. Among males, one of the hemispheres dominates in most cases. With 57%, reason clearly claims control over decisions.

Women tend towards a balanced use of both hemispheres. More than 50% manage to bridge the gap between left and right, which means they simultaneously tap into both emotion and reason when making decisions.

Neurology offers a simple explanation for these results:

American scientist Christine Lacoste discovered that the connector between the two brain hemispheres has a thick tissue on either end called the Splenium2. In women, this portion is larger and wider. Most scientists believe that men use one hemisphere more intensively than the other for certain activities so that their cognitive functions are more strongly lateralized. Not as much information is exchanged between the halves.

It is also known that different hormones in the brain leads to different consumer styles. Countless tests prove that fluctuating hormone levels in the brain have a strong influence on capabilities. That’s why people with higher testosterone levels, for example, achieve better results on math-related tasks (left brain hemisphere) or have better spatial awareness (right brain hemisphere).

Recently researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have found striking differences in how men’s and women’s brains are wired. In one brain region, women have more connections between left and right hemispheres, and men within hemispheres, while in another brain region, it is the other way around. Researchers say the differences may explain, for example, why on average men are better at learning and performing single tasks, such as cycling or navigating, while women tend to be better at multitasking and problem-solving in group situations. [1]

What about the speed of perception?

The acute speed of perception in women observed in multiple other studies is consistent with the results of the Sommer+Sommer Brain Test, where women finished much faster: it took women on average 58 seconds to complete the test, while most male test participants took 81 seconds and therefore 39% more time.

Clichés could even be confirmed across isolated test results. For example, one question asked participants to identify a picture that related most to the concept of “friendship.” The majority of women chose an image symbolizing a one-to-one relationship, while men chose an image symbolizing a multi-network or loose grouping.

The conclusion drawn by Gordon Sommer, the left hemisphere of Sommer+Sommer: “The recognition that a combination of the most divergent personalities possible can lead to optimal results is important. Both left-brained and right-brained people, as well as those who display a balance between the two hemispheres, are needed.”

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